Long-term investing

IC Markets ETFs guide

ETFs are a common building block for long-term portfolios, but the way a broker provides ETF exposure matters enormously. Some brokers offer direct ownership of ETF units, while others offer derivative products such as CFDs that reference ETF prices without conferring ownership. This guide explains the checks to run against IC Markets' own current documents so you understand exactly what product you would be trading before committing long-term money.

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Confirm the product type: ownership versus derivatives

The first and most important check is whether any ETF exposure at IC Markets is offered as direct ownership of the fund or as a derivative such as a CFD. This page does not state which applies; you must confirm it in the broker's product documents. The distinction changes almost everything for a long-term investor: derivatives typically involve leverage, overnight financing charges and no entitlement to the underlying units, while direct ownership involves holding the ETF itself. Financing costs on leveraged positions accumulate daily, which usually makes such products poorly matched to multi-year holding periods.

Check the product schedule to see whether listed ETF instruments are shares or CFDs referencing ETF prices.
If instruments are derivatives, check overnight financing rates and how they compound over long holds.
Confirm whether you would have any ownership rights, such as entitlement to fund distributions.
Read the key information or risk disclosure document for the specific instrument class.

Costs and account terms to verify for long-term holding

Once you know the product type, verify the full cost picture from the broker's fee schedule rather than from summaries. For long-term investors, holding costs and account-level charges often outweigh per-trade costs. Check spreads or commissions, any overnight or holding charges, currency conversion on deposits and withdrawals, and non-trading fees such as inactivity charges. Use the Brokerage fee calculator at /tools/brokerage-fee-calculator to estimate how confirmed figures add up over your intended holding period.

Verify per-trade costs, holding or financing charges, and any account maintenance or inactivity fees.
Check currency conversion handling if the instruments or account base currency differ from your home currency.
Model total costs over your expected holding period, not just a single trade.

Regulation, entity and suitability checks

Brokers often operate multiple regulated entities, and the products, protections and leverage limits available to you depend on which entity onboards you and where you live. Confirm which IC Markets entity would hold your account and which regulator oversees it, and read that entity's client agreement. Then judge suitability honestly: if your goal is decades-long compounding in ETFs, compare what this broker's confirmed product set offers against alternatives designed for direct fund ownership. The Find my broker tool at /find-my-broker and the guides in the Long-term investing hub at /invest-long-term can help you apply the same checklist across providers.

Identify the specific regulated entity and jurisdiction that would apply to your account.
Check leverage limits, negative balance policies and any client money protections described in the entity's documents.
Match the confirmed product type against your goal: long-term ownership and derivative trading are different activities.

Continue researching

Open related InvestorTrip pages before treating this topic as a final decision.

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Open related long-term investing guides.

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Apply the checklist to broker selection.

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Estimate account and trading costs.

FAQ

Can I buy real ETFs through IC Markets?

This page does not state IC Markets' current product range. Whether ETF exposure is available as direct ownership or as a derivative such as a CFD must be confirmed in the broker's own current product documents and confirmed with support before you fund an account.

Why does it matter if an ETF is offered as a CFD?

A CFD referencing an ETF is a leveraged derivative, not ownership of the fund. It typically carries daily overnight financing charges, no entitlement to the underlying units and a higher risk profile. Those characteristics usually fit short-term trading rather than multi-year buy-and-hold investing.

What documents should I read before trading ETF-related instruments?

Read the product schedule or instrument list, the fee schedule, the risk disclosure or key information documents, and the client agreement of the specific regulated entity that would hold your account. Confirm anything unclear with support in writing and keep dated copies.